SHELBY – Leaders call it one of the most congested intersections in the city.

It includes one of the city’s main east-west arteries, as well as a heavily traveled north-south highway, and it’s surrounded by numerous businesses and side streets.

Because of its pattern and its driver traffic, changes could be coming to the intersection of Marion Street and Cherryville Road.

The N.C. Department of Transportation “has identified this intersection as a serious need,” according to city documents presented to the city council this week, and Division 12 officials plan to submit it as a regional transportation project in the next State Transportation Improvement Program.

And city leaders agree about the need for changes to the interchange. Shelby City Council resolved this week to support proposed improvements to and a realignment of the intersection.

“That intersection, I probably get more complaints about than any in town,” Mayor Stan Anthony said at this week’s city council meeting. “And in the past 10 years, it’s only gotten worse.”

‘It’s confusing’

Several fans commented about the intersection on The Shelby Star Facebook page, noting the stop light sequences and the highway alignment.

Anthony said the alignment of the intersection is confusing for drivers.

“It’s a high-volume intersection. You’ve got four streets coming to a point, and because they’re offset you get caught in between, particularly if you’re on Marion Street,” Anthony said. “You get caught between the lights. It’s confusing as well because the entrances to some of the buildings are so close to the intersection, it creates some difficulty getting in and out.”

Leaders’ support for changes didn’t commit any city funding this week. But the city has in the past offered consideration of providing money toward potential improvements, said City Manager Rick Howell. The city has discussed with NCDOT the possibility of providing funding for Right of Way Acquisition in the area, which could cost as much as $300,000 and include property purchase, environmental studies, potential relocation costs, appraisals and more, according to city documents.

Howell and Shelby Planning Director Walt Scharer said the city’s support could, however, expedite the intersection project’s consideration and fruition.

It's uncertain whether the project will be funded in the current pool of roadway projects, said Jordan-Ashley Baker, a spokesperson for NCDOT.

"If it does get funded, it could begin anywhere from fiscal year 2016 to 2025," she said.

What’s next?

If the project becomes part of the NCDOT transportation improvement program, Scharer told the city council this week, intersection design plans would then be drawn.

Officials should know by the summer how NCDOT ranks the project for funding, Scharer said, which would then mean more information about plans for the project and what it would require of the city.

Page 2 of 2 - The section of Marion Street near the intersection is part of the US 74 Business route and Cherryville Road is part of state highway NC 150. City leaders said that could improve the changes of getting funding for improvements.

“That’s a pretty critical gateway point into Shelby,” Anthony said. “I hear a lot of times people are coming into Shelby and think they’ve gotten to downtown because it’s congested. I’ve heard visitors say that. That’s all the more reason it needs to be cleaned up and made a safe, good intersection.”

Reach Matthew Tessnear at 704-669-3331, at mtessnear@shelbystar.com or on Twitter @MatthewTessnear.

What's the traffic in the intersection?

Average daily call volumes, from 2012 numbers, are:

13,000 to 14,000 vehicles -- Marion Street (US 74 Business)

12,000 -- Cherryville Road (NC 150)

Unavailable -- Peach Street (not a state-maintained road)

Source: NCDOT

Where does the intersection project stand?

The Marion Street-Cherryville Road intersection in Shelby is among 17 projects in the six-county NCDOT Division 12 being submitted for evaluation for Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) funding.

In Cleveland County, those projects include the intersection project and the addition of a turn lane at College and Patrick avenues in Boiling Springs.

Other possible division projects in other counties include intersection improvements at NC 73 and NC 16 in Lincoln County, a directional crossover at US 321 in Catawba County and Interstate 85 widening between exits 17 and 10 in Gaston County.

Source: NCDOT

Readers respond

The Star asked its Facebook fans what they would change about the Marion Street-Cherryville Road intersection. Here’s a sample of the response. Want to join the conversation? “Like” The Shelby Star on Facebook.

“Turning lights would help, traffic backs up because of people trying to turn.”